


Boxstep

by mactycho



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Fluff and Humor, Just... A nice respite for the poor boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:34:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28032483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mactycho/pseuds/mactycho
Summary: All Guardians have to dance sometime.
Relationships: Crow/female guardian
Comments: 7
Kudos: 54





	Boxstep

**Author's Note:**

> Blame Bungie and them practically shipping my hunter and Crow for me.

The hum of dragonflies flitting above the river could even be heard above the cracks and rattles of far off gunfire from time to time; a nice little respite from the cacophony of rattling ether pipes.

Crow is revelling in the sounds of the river, feeling its calming effects wash over him as he sits on the riverbank, the late summer sun warming his skin. It was his one request for the end of this reconnaissance trip - to just stop and let his mind go quiet for a while.

But the best laid plans…

A few jarring notes float across the clearing, causing him to frown gently. He opens one eye to look to the small camp, trying to catch where the sound is coming from. He spots his companion, shaking out her cloak and humming along to her music.

Crow turns his head. "What are you listening to?"

"Just some classics."

He purses his lips and watches her as Andi begins to mouth the words. "It's a little…"

Her head snaps up to look directly at him. "A little what?"

"Repetitive."

Andi scoffs in mock disdain, moving to lay out both their freshly washed armour on the riverbank to dry. "You wouldn't know good music if it hit you upside the head."

Crow settles back, closing his eyes again, voice dripping with flat sarcasm. "I wouldn't, would I?"

"If you can't appreciate Blondie, we have nothing more to speak about." She shakes out one of Crow's gauntlets, purposely splashing him as best she can. His face screws up and slowly opens his eyes to squint at her.

"Blondie?"

"A band from before the Golden Age."

"How have they lasted?"

"I'm sure they're dead-"

"I meant the music's longevity."

"Oh." Andi slumps forward, pushing the strap of her vest back onto her shoulder. "I think they were rediscovered with the discovery of the Arts cache about half a century ago on Venus."

Crow sits up. "They found this on Venus."

"As part of a late 20th century data cache." She grins at him. "Someone in the Golden Age clearly wanted to save these for posterity."

The reluctance in Crow's response makes Andi tip her head. "Do you not like my tunes?"

Crow distracts himself by rolling up his shirtsleeves, avoiding eye contact. "It's not what I'd pick myself…"

"Oh. Oh ok." She stands up, grin threatening to split her face. "Any requests?"

"I don't know any artists!"

"Well then." She begins to walk back over to the fire. "Do some research."

Crow grumbles and rolls to his feet, stretching.

"Good nap?"

Crow looks to his shoulder, spotting Glint having floated over to perch there. "I wasn't asleep."

"Weren't you?"

He shakes his head. The Ghost's shell contracts a little in thought. "Are you sure? You were like that for a very long time."

"I can assure you I wasn't asleep."

Andi calls over from her spot by the fire, tone playful. "So you could have helped me clean the taken gunk off your armour."

Crow spins around. "You said you were fine when I offered to help."

She laughs. "Crow. I'm joking. I'm just glad you got to relax."

He sighs and wanders over to sit on an old crate. "Do you enjoy winding me up?"

"Only a little." Andi pauses, face falling. "Do you not like it? I'll stop if you want me to-"

"No no, I can take a little ribbing, don't worry."

Andi looks rather relieved and goes back to checking her cloak. The song changes on her little speaker pod and she frowns. "Oh no, not a dirge…" she looks around. "Tink?"

"Hmm?" Her little Ghost barely moves from his spot in a clump of grass. 

Andi peers over. "Could you move the song on?"

"I could… I may not."

"Tink…"

The voice sounds annoyed from its comfy grassy nest. "Do I have to move?"

Andi frowns at him and is about to say something when Glint heads over to the speakers. "I can change it for you, Andi."

_"Thank you_ , Glint. The one useful person here."

Crow looks up at her like a kicked puppy, while Tink just laughs and rolls over lazily. Andi blinks at Crow and smiles. "I'm kidding, hun."

At the utterance of the pet-name, Crow can feel his chest tighten warmly, corners of his mouth quirking. "I would help if you let me, you know."

"I know."

Glint has managed to move the song on, jolting back as the starting chords blare out from the little speakers. " _Oh my goodness-_ that's- I'm turning that down a little…"

Crow peers around Andi. "Surprise you, Glint?" 

"It was just- it was a little loud."

Andi goes over and pats Glint affectionately. "I'm sorry. But Cyndi Lauper is like that."

There's a little call from the grass tuft. "She shouts to have fun. Like all the girls she sings about."

Andi turns around and frowns. "I feel rather attacked."

Crow puts a hand to his mouth, coughing to hide a laugh. Andi puts her hands on her hips. "Look, you can't dance to things that don't bop! This is prime dancing music!"

"Why dance at all?"

Andi stares at him, looking horrified. " _Blasphemer_!"

Crow throws his hands out. "No matter how you try, you won't get me dancing."

The 80s synthpop beeps as Andi makes several noises of disdain, hands waving about before she rushes over to him."Bu- you- it's- _it's tradition!"_ Crow hurriedly leans back but doesn't manage to avoid Andi grabbing his face. "It's in your _heritage!"_

Crow speaks through squished cheeks, eyes wide. "Heritage?"

" _Yes_. You have to dance! To celebrate and rub it in their faces." She starts laughing as she speaks, causing Crow to giggle.

"You may dance all you like, Andi. I'll just watch."

Andi pats his cheek lightly. "Oh no you won't." She gets up quickly and rushes over to her speakers, bringing up the small menu and flicks through it.

Crow's brow draws down and looks to Glint who flies over, mirroring the look as best he can.

Then a cry of success as Andi waves away the holographic menu and a much less energetic song begins to play. She turns on her heels slowly and grins at Crow before sashaying over.

Crow's confused expression drops as the realisation hits him. He shakes his head and waves a hand. "Oh, no. No-"

"This is starting simple! Slow dancing." She stops in front of him and holds a hand out. "Can't expect you to start with Riverdance."

Crow glances at her hand then back to her. "What's Riverdance-"

"Don't change the subject." She wiggles her fingers. Crow sighs, looking at the floor for a few moments before peering back at her.

"You won't leave me alone until I do, will you."

"Nope. Got a whole playlist of this."

Crow stands, rolling his shoulders and reluctantly takes her hand. Andi makes an excited noise, beaming. "Ok! Ok, it's simple. Very simple."

She pulls him to a slightly clearer spot and stands in front of him. "You hold my right hand with your left and your right hand-" 

"- goes on your waist. I know." He gently holds her hand to the side with the movement of someone for which this wasn't novel.

Andi blinks. "How?"

"How do I know how to fly a ship?" Crow tips his head. "And how do I know that I'm supposed to bow before this?"

She just stares at him, not answering as she clears her throat and rests her left hand on his shoulder, noticing the small hesitance in Crow placing his hand on her waist. 

And she suddenly feels her stomach drop. "We don't have to, it's not-"

"We're here now." Crow looks at her, almost reassuringly. "And there's no one around to embarrass myself in front of."

"Really, we don't. I was just joking-"

"Andi." He practically glares at her. "Teach me how to dance."

Andi's breath catches in her throat. "I only know a very basic version."

"Then tell me the basic version."

Andi nods minutely and looks at their feet. "So, uh… your left foot comes towards me as I go back-" she steps back with her right, Crow following precisely. "- and then you step to the right with your… right foot."

He does so, and preemptively brings his heels together. Andi looks down and laughs. "Sure you've not done this before?"

"I wouldn't know. I could have." He steps back with his right, waiting for Andi to follow. Andi returns her gaze to meet his.

He's smiling. "Left foot forward."

Andi steps forward.

He closes his heels. "And together."

She brings her heels together.

"And go again." Crow continues, Andi mirroring him, each step placed exactly as they end up dancing a rudimentary waltz.

Glint floats by the speakers, finding the slower music a little more pleasing to listen to. But as he watches the two lightbearers, he can't help but feel a little uneasy.

"How complicated will this be?"

Glint turns to look at Tink who has groggily floated up from his resting spot. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean…"

Glint drops a little, shell drooping. "It's… yes. Yes I do."

Forward, side, together. Step, step, stop. Perfect synchronisation and placement as they retread their footsteps, barely apart.

It began to feel completely natural and familiar, as if they'd always danced together this way.

Andi laughs quietly. "I was supposed to be teaching you."

"It seems I already know the boxstep."

"Is that what this is?"

"Mhmm." Crow adjusts where his hand is resting on her waist, sliding around to rest on the small of her back bringing them closer together. "But I have some bad news…"

She regrets suggesting this as Andi is very sure Crow can now feel her heart pound against his own ribcage through hers. "Why?"

"This music." He looks over her shoulder towards the speaker, mouth mere millimetres from her ear. "It's not the right time signature."

Andi blinks and stops, turning to look directly at him. "What?"

"A waltz, which this is, is in 3/4 time. The song is 4/4."

Andi feels her cheeks go bright red. "... Fuck."

"Hmm." 

She looks down at them both, chests pressed together and finding that she wished he hadn't noticed the goddamn time signature. "... Well, that was a waltz, apparently."

He isn't stepping away. "Which I already knew," he pauses. "Apparently."

They stand in silence, not noticing how they have begun to sway to the rest of the song. Their joined hands slowly fall to rest between them as their eyes rove over each other's faces trying to find an explanation. An answer. A hint. Anything.

Eventually, it's Crow that speaks very softly. "I don't mind this one."

Slowly moving her hand into the well of his neck, Andi tears her gaze away from the patterns of light gently rippling over Crow's skin to their hands. "The dance or the song."

Crow runs his thumb carefully over her knuckles, keeping his eyes down. "Both."

He focuses on the motion, thumb moving back and forth across her pale skin, catching the smallest of callouses and scars.

Crow hates how much he feels he has to withhold, speaking with thinly veiled intent to mask such soul wrenching fear of doing or saying anything that could push her away. And all this... without knowing anything about the person she saw when he stepped forward at the shrine.

He never wants to see that look on Andi's face again.

Risking a glance, his golden eyes flick up as if to make sure she's still there despite feeling her against his skin.

Andi is just watching him, almost as if she's been stunned. He'd believe it if he couldn't feel her breathing, kept steady as if she's forcing calm on a tumultuous sea.

However long they stand in silence, it is nothing compared with the cacophony of apprehension that now hovered around them, both hoping the other would give them the answer to that 'something' they weren't aware they had asked.

Their foreheads meet, the hold on each other's hand tightening to pull closer, allowing their lips the lightest of touches.

It was enough.

Andi slides her hand to cup the back of his neck, gently brushing his lips with hers, still tentative as she waits for him to respond. As soon as he does, she feels the flutter in her chest explode, relief and tension in equal measure.

Letting go of her hand, Crow caresses her cheek in an act of controlled restraint, wishing he could immediately scoop her up and hold her as close as it was possible to be. But as if she could hear his thoughts, Andi wraps her arms around his neck, sighing into the kiss as she blocks the blaring thoughts that attempt to sabotage this moment.

The music had stopped a while ago, the sound returning to far off gunfire echoing around the valley, offset with the gentle hum of dragonflies.


End file.
